Bihar shelter home abuse: CBI to move court for lie-detector test on aides of accused

THE ASIAN AGE.

Published : Jan 2, 2019, 1:14 am IST

Updated : Jan 2, 2019, 1:14 am IST

The agency is also probing the public servants’ proximity with Brajesh Thakur.

Manju Verma

New Delhi: The CBI, investigating the alleged sexual abuse of minor girls at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur (Bihar), is set to approach the competent court for permission to conduct a “lie detector” test on two close aides of prime accused Brajesh Thakur.

Sources said, “Two accused are giving conflicting statements during interrogation. The agency may conduct a lie detector test on them.”

The agency will first need to seek their consent as legal provisions entail that such a test cannot be conducted without the permission of the person concerned. After that the CBI will approach the competent court for the same, sources clarified.

The agency is also preparing to question four senior officials of the social welfare department of the state government for their alleged role in releasing funds to the accused NGO. The agency is also probing the public servants’ proximity with Brajesh Thakur.

It is suspected that four senior public servants of the revenue department of the state government played a crucial role in releasing funds to the NGO belonging to Thakur. They will soon be called for questioning.

The sexual abuse of 34 girls in the state government-funded shelter home, allegedly linked to Thakur, came to light after a social audit was conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. After the incident came to light, an FIR was registered by the Bihar social welfare department and 10 people, including Thakur, were arrested. Following an outcry, the Nitish Kumar government handed over the probe to the CBI. His social welfare minister Manju Verma had to resign in August after it was disclosed that her husband had spoken to Thakur several times between January and June.